


The Alphas' Beta

by Jenn0509



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Canon, Awesome Erica, BAMF Lydia, Baby Werewolves, Established Relationship, F/M, Family Drama, Finding Boyd & Erica, Fluff and Angst, Implied Child Abuse, Implied or Off-stage Rape/Non-con, Little Sisters, M/M, Meddlesome Stiles, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Oblivious Stiles, Pack Bonding, Papa Stiles, Parenthood, Pregnant Erica, Protective Derek, References to Abuse, Season/Series 03, Sexual Tension, Slow Build, Statutory Rape, The Alpha Pack, The Hale Pack - Freeform, Vendettas, Werewolf Mates, Werewolf Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-18
Updated: 2014-01-09
Packaged: 2017-12-08 21:06:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/766005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jenn0509/pseuds/Jenn0509
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Beta: Not everyone died in the Hale House fire. While searching for the Alphas and his Betas, Boyd & Erica, Derek finds someone he's sure was dead.</p><p>Collectors: Things have been settling down in Beacon Hills. Or are they? The Pack is in for a rude awakening.</p><p>Darach: He's graduated high school, and Stiles has reached a crossroad in his life. It's a pretty normal one, college, but with a kid, things aren't normal at all. And given that Zoe has claws, it's pretty dicey at the Stilinski-Hale homestead. Things aren't looking so well for the rest of Beacon Hills either. </p><p>Family: Erica & Boyd are causing problems again, but that's pretty usual. Allison and Scott are on again, and Stiles never leaves home without being ravished by his Alpha. Things aren't so rosy though. The Hills are a Beacon after all, and it couldn't have been that easy to get rid of the Alphas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Alpha's Beta

The house looked like any other abandoned house in the area, but the scent of Alphas was strong. They’d likely been squatting there, even with the boarded windows. “Are they here?” Stiles asked, gulping nervously.

Derek shook his head, “Not right now, but...” He opened the door to his car, “Stay here.” Never one to listen, Stiles scrambled out of the passenger’s seat and ran after Derek. The Alpha glared at his human. “What part of ‘stay here’ did you fail to understand?” Stiles simply smiled at him, and Derek rolled his eyes, “You have no sense of self preservation.”

Pursing his lips, Stiles said, “Meh, maybe, but I’m probably safer with you then out there by myself. You know, with all of the Alphas crawling around and everything.”

“I’m not the one that told you to come with me.” Derek growled, sniffing the air.

“You might not have invited me, but admit it, you’re glad I’m here.” Stiles boasted, hoping that he wasn’t being too desperate.

“Hush, There’s still someone in there.” Derek snapped, sniffing again, “Female.” He scrunched his face, “Not an Alpha.”

“You can tell that from out here?” Stiles asked, wondering why he still found some things surprising.

“It’s a familiar scent, and she’s bleeding.” Derek said, trying to remember where he had smelled this girl before. When the synapses in his brain finally placed the scent, his heart nearly stopped and he threw himself into the house, ripping the door off it’s hinges in his rush to get inside.

The small female form was on a mattress in the far corner of the front room, chained to the wall. She lifted her head when she heard them enter, and Derek resisted the urge to maim something. Derek recognized the pale face of the Alpha pack’s Beta. It was a face not unlike the one that he looked at every time he opened his wallet to look at the only surviving picture of his mother. He stood motionless while Stiles approached her, not sure if he was dreaming or not.

She lunged at him, the chains around her wrists stopping her from grabbing him. “Holy shit!” Stiles hissed, stepping back from the barely clothed girl.

She whimpered at Stiles’ exclamation, backing up quickly, and curling up into a tight ball. She was young, long brown hair tangled into large knots, and what appeared to once have been a dress hung from her thin shoulders by threads. It was discolored, looking like a brown potato sack, and stuck to her in places where vicious bite wounds marred her skin, still oozing blood. Her wrists were also rubbed raw from the metal chains holding her to the wall. Derek broke them easily, eliciting a cry from the female.

Derek ripped his jacket off his shoulders and wrapped it around her nearly naked body gently, mindful of her various wounds. She whined, instinctively jerking away from his fingers when they ghosted along the side of her face. Her blue eyes were wide, her pupils dilated to the point that he was certain she couldn’t see more than blurs. She was terrified, and had only lunged at Stiles because she wasn’t thinking clearly. Or at least that’s what he hoped happened. The other possibilities running through his head were too terrible to handle.

“Shh, you’re safe.” Derek cooed softly, picking her rail-thin body up. She screeched inhumanly, clawing at his face, but when she finally caught his scent, she grasped his leather jacket with her bony fingers and buried her face in his shirt as if to muffle her own screeches.

“Should you really be moving her? I mean, you could hurt her more.” Stiles chirped in that incessant voice that usually made Derek’s crotch ache, but now irritated him. He knew what he was doing.

“She’s not human.” Derek said shortly.

“She’s a werewolf.” Stiles determined in a hushed voice, not that it mattered, the female squeaked anyway. Derek nodded slowly, shushing her, and Stiles studied him. The anguish on his face was so out of character, and Stiles stared at him in shock. “Wait, you know her, like really know her.”

The instant he said it, Derek flinched, throwing the back door of his new Jaguar open, “She’s my baby sister.” She let out a high, kneeing scream when he tried to lower her into the back seat of car. He jerked her back to his chest, “Okay, I’m sorry Becca. Shh, I’ve got you.” He tossed his keys to Stiles, “You drive us to Scott’s. One scratch on my car, and I will tear your throat out with my teeth.”

Stiles gulped, “You know, you’ve said that before, and it’s just as scary now.”

“Good.” Derek growled, getting in the passenger’s seat with her in his lap.

“You know, I liked the old car, but this one is much more practical with all of the pack. You’re like a wolfy soccer mom.” Stiles quipped as he started the car.

Derek shot him a cold look. “Don’t ever say that again.” He shifted in his seat, and mumbled under his breath, “I am not a soccer mom.” The girl whimpered a few times during the ride, but Derek would smooth a hand over her wild hair and his whispered words would calm her down.

Stiles was amazed by the tenderness that Derek was displaying. “So, uh, what’s her name again?”

“Rebecca.” Derek whispered, “Maggie never had our mother’s blue eyes. Becca did.”

“Just how many sister’s do you have?” Stiles asked, trying to keep his eyes on the road.

“Four. Laura was older than me, McKenna a year younger, and then Becca and Maggie were twins. They were ten when the house burned.” He stared down at her, “If I had known she was alive...” His head shot up, and out of the corner of his eyes, Stiles saw his nostrils flare. “I’m going to kill them for hurting her.”

Her eyes had closed and her breath had evened out by the time they reached the McCall’s. Scott answered the door, and looked from Stiles to Derek to the girl asleep in Derek’s arms with a slack look on his face.

“Shut your mouth and get your mother. She needs help.” Derek snarled.

Melissa McCall came up behind her son in cloud pajamas, “Derek?”

“We went looking for Erica and Boyd and found her. Please help her.” Derek busted past the McCall’s not noticing that they were all staring at him. He’d just said please.

“Take her to the guest room.” Melissa said, springing into action. Derek appreciated that at least one McCall had a sense of urgency, and followed her directive. Rebecca woke, crying out when he sat her down, and he stared at the blood on his hands. Melissa pushed him gently aside, looking at Rebecca’s eyes in the early morning light from the window. “Scott, go get me a hand towel from the bathroom. Her pupils are blown. I’ll need to cover her eyes before I turn the light on.”

Scott had a towel in her hands in seconds, and she folded it tightly, “Hold still...”

“Rebecca.” Derek supplied.

Melissa smiled gently, “Rebecca, I’m going to cover your eyes so the light doesn’t hurt them, and then I’m going to look at your injuries.” She lowered the towel, and Derek was prepared for Rebecca to make another noise of pain. She didn’t, it seemed she had finally realized that she wasn’t being hurt more, and relaxed slightly. Melissa stroked her forehead, “Good girl.” She looked at Scott, “Go get one of those button up nightgowns from my room.”

“The ugly one’s Grammy sends you every Christmas that you never wear?” Scott asked.

His mother grimaced, “Yes.” She cleaned and bandaged the abrasions on Rebecca’s wrists with alcohol wipes and wraps from the first aid kit they kept under the sink. When she looked at the wounds on Rebecca’s body, she arched an eyebrow at Derek, “I’m going to guess these aren’t dog bites.”

“No, they’re Alpha bites.” He touched one on her forearm, “They won’t heal like normal werewolf wounds will.”

As she worked, she asked more questions, “How bad is the risk of infection? With wounds like this, it would be high in a...human, and she’d be put on a massive amount of antibiotics.”

“She shouldn’t need any of that.” He looked at the sheer number of scratches and shallow bites covering her limbs, and second guessed himself, “I think.”

“I’ll try to get her something from the hospital.” Melissa assured him. When she had finally finished with the exposed wounds, she stood up, “Alright, boys, out!” Scott and Stiles exited quickly, but Derek stayed, holding on to her hand. “She’s your sister.” Melissa stated, her eyes softening.

“How did you know?” He asked.

Melissa smiled, “You have the same jawline, and the way you look at her, it’s like you’re eating your own heart seeing her in pain. You don’t have to stay while I look her over.”

“No, I do. Becca’s a werewolf. If she startles, she could hurt you. I’ll turn away, but I need to stay in here.” Derek was still trying to figure out how Rebecca had escaped the fire. He and Laura had been certain that Rebecca and Marguerite, Maggie, had been inside the house when it burned. He turned his back to Melissa, leaning his forehead against the wall, and focusing, not on the ragged sound of his sister’s breathing, but on the steady rhythm of Stiles’ heart.

“She was in the fire.” Melissa hissed, causing Derek to look over his shoulder. The skin of Rebecca’s left thigh was pink and shiny. “There’s more on her stomach.” She added, looking at him sadly. “Fortunately for her, the bites are only on her extremities. There are a few old bite scars, but nothing new. I think one of her ribs might be broken, but I’m not a doctor, so I’m not sure.”

“So she’ll be okay?” Derek asked tightly.

Melissa nodded, “She should be.” They both heard clanging from the kitchen, and she headed to the door, “I’m going to go make some breakfast before those two boys clean me out.”

Derek swallowed his pride, “Thank you, Melissa.” She gave him a small smile and a nod before leaving him alone with Rebecca. His eyes found the clock next to the bed, and he was stunned that the entire process had taken only thirty minutes. He had only known his sister was alive for just under an hour. But it was her stillness that worried him. He knelt next to the bed, reclaiming her hand.

He stayed there the entire day, watching her every motion, listening to the steady rhythm of her heart beating in her chest. When he had heard Scott and Stiles leave for school, he had sung her songs their mother had once sung to them. His voice was husky and crackled from disuse, but he thought it comforted her. She seemed more at peace when he was singing to her, and in that moment, he couldn’t ask for anything else. Derek refused all of the food Melissa offered, keeping his vigil well into the night, only leaving his sister’s side to use the restroom.

Near dawn, he came back into the room and noticed the tempo of her breathing had changed. “Becca, can you hear me?” He asked, taking her hand back in his. She yanked her arm to her chest, shoving his fist under her chin. “Becca, wake up.”

“No.” She whispered, her voice soft.

Derek squeezed her fingers, “Becca, it’s your big brother. You need to wake up for me.”

“I don’t want to.” She moaned.

“Why not?” He asked.

Rebecca whined, “Because I don’t want this to be a dream.”

Derek could hardly breath, as surreal as the whole thing seemed to him, he couldn’t imagine how it must seem to her. He laid his head next to hers, “It’s not a dream, Becca. I’m right here.”

“Dez?” She asked brokenly.

He felt one corner of his mouth quirk up at the nickname he hadn’t heard in six years, “Yeah, Becks. It’s Dez.” She smiled, and reached up, pulling the towel off her eyes. She squinted in the light from the curtained window, but threw her arms around Derek, sobbing. “I’m so sorry I didn’t look for you.” He whispered into her ear after her sobs had subsided.

“You couldn’t have known I was alive.” She said kindly, curling up against his chest so she could feel his heart beating. “You and Laura weren’t home when the fire...”

“I should have been.” He said hollowly. “It was Laura’s play. I wasn’t supposed to go. We were all going to go to the next one.”

“Dezzy, you couldn’t have done anything. None of us could have. We were just kids.” Rebecca had always taken after their mother, both in the color of her eyes, and in her overwhelming kindness.

Derek held her close, “I could have. If I’d been home. I don’t even know what really happened.”

Rebecca took a deep breath, “You two hadn’t been gone long, an hour or so. Momma had finally gotten Dad not to be so mad at you, and we’d eaten dinner. Maggie and I were playing out in the tree house when they came.” She swallowed, trying not to start crying again, “That girl that used to come over to see you...Kate?” Derek nodded, “She knew that Maggie and I liked to play in the tree house, so she had the men pull us down. They dragged us inside.” A shiver ran down her spine.

“Becca, you don’t have to tell me all of this now, it can wait.” Derek urged, not wanting her to stress herself out too much.

“No.” She said firmly, “I need to say all of this now. You need to know.”

“You don’t sound like a ten year old. Did they put you in school or something?” Derek blurted out.

Rebecca laughed softly, “Not school. There was one Alpha, she joined the pack about two years ago. They called her Glory. She took pity on me, told the others that just because I wasn’t an Alpha didn’t mean they could pick on me all the time, that I should be taken care of. Glory treated me like I was her little sister, even said I reminded her of her real little sister. I don’t know how I reminded her of her sister, Glory was black. She had been a school teacher before she was bitten, high school English, so she put me in clean clothes, brushed my hair, and started teaching me everything she knew.” She smiled fondly, “That was the best year and a half of my life post fire.”

“What happened to her? You certainly don’t look your best right now.” Derek growled.

“They killed her.” Rebecca said plainly, “She tried to set me free, and they killed her. I think that was like two months ago, I’m not sure. They’ve kept me in dark rooms since then, so it’s hard to tell when a day ends. I know I’ve been chained up for at least one full moon, but there hasn’t been a second one.” She pushed away from him slightly, to look up at him, despite the pain it caused her eyes, “You’re getting me off topic, Derek Hale. That’s not nice.”

He didn’t have the humility to look guilty, “Sorry, Becca.”

She sniffed slightly, “No, you’re not.” She sighed, “After they dragged us inside, they started setting the house on fire. They had all the adults and McKenna incapacitated with wolfsbane, but they left us kids loose. They didn’t think we were a threat, but they wanted to kill us anyway. Daddy and Momma told Maggie and I to run. So we did. They shot Maggie with an arrow, but she screamed at me to keep running. I was so afraid, Derek, so I did. I left her, I left everyone. The Alpha pack found me wandering a few nights later.”

Derek hated how guilty she sounded, “Becca, you couldn’t have fought them off. Like you told me. We were all just kids.”

Rebecca’s blue eyes searched his earnestly, “You’re not mad? You don’t hate me?”

He huffed, “Is that why you wanted to tell me this now? Did you think I wouldn’t be happy to see you alive?” Her eyes told him everything he needed to know, “Oh, Becca, I’m very happy that you’re alive. I’m not alone any more. I mean Peter is still kicking around, but he’s more an inevitable thorn in my side.”

“Uncle Peter?” Rebecca echoed, “What about Laura? Where is she?”

“She’s dead. Killed about a year ago.” He couldn’t tell her that the uncle she had idolized had killed their older sister.

“Wow.” She said breathlessly, “It’s just you, me, and Uncle Peter? That’s all that’s left of the Hale Pack?”

He gave her another half smile, “Not necessarily. I’ve started my own pack.”

Her eyebrows jerked together, “You? What about Uncle Peter? Shouldn’t he be Alpha?”

“He is...was, I am. Shit, I’m not really sure. It’s a long story.” He could see the distrust in her eyes, “I may have killed him.”

She hit him on the arm, “Derek! We’re Hale’s! We aren’t supposed to kill each other!”

“Sorry, Becca.” He said, wincing at the fact that her hit actually hurt, “He’s come back to life!” She huffed, but settled back against him. “Do you want to meet my pack?”

She tilted her head, “I think I’ve already seen two of them. A boy and girl? They escaped a few hours before you found me. That’s why no one was there watching me.” Derek was torn between staying with his sister, and rescuing his two wayward pack members. Rebecca seemed to sense his indecision, “Go, Derek. They should be alright still.”

Derek shook his head, “Against an Alpha pack? It’s been a day since I found you. I don’t see how they could still be alright.”

She shrugged, “Do you and Uncle Peter really get along right now? The Alphas don’t. They fight a lot. Trust me, they usually liked to take their frustration out on me. There are some that think they should stop adding to the pack. They spend most of their time fighting about what to do. It took them like an hour and a half just to decide to follow your two betas.”

Derek sighed, “I guess as a good Alpha, I need to. They were trying to leave me though.”

Rebecca laughed, “Well, Derek, you haven’t always been the most friendly guy. And I don’t think that has changed in the slightest.”

Derek bared his fangs teasingly, “Not nice, Becca. I’d forgotten you were always the frank one.”

“At least I’m not the surly one.” She popped back, looking at herself in the mirror across the room, “I am, however the one that looks like crap.” She lifted up a chunk of her hair that ended just above her hip. Fiddling with one of the knots, she sighed, “Will you cut it for me? I’m not going to bother trying to brush all of this mess, and I don’t want to meet anyone looking like this. Glory had to cut almost all of it off, but this time shouldn’t be too bad, most of the knots are at the ends.”

“You want me to cut your hair.” Derek said, stunned, but she nodded, “With what?”

She looked at him like he was an idiot. “Your claws, Derek. They’re more equipped to cut hair than kitchen scissors.”

“Are you sure?” Rebecca and Maggie had always wanted to grow their hair out. He couldn’t imagine her wanting to cut it.

“Do it, Derek!” Rebecca said shrilly.

Stunned by her tiny outburst Derek nodded, “Alright, Becca. Just hold still.” He gathered her hair in one hand and moved his fist down to just below her shoulders, and used one of his claws to sever her long hair in one movement. He dropped the knotted mass into the corner trash can, “There.”

She turned back to face him, beaming, “Thank you, Derek.” Rebecca ran her fingers through her hair a few times before she held a hand out to him, “Let’s go meet your pack before you run off to help the others.”

“How are you so calm right now?” He asked, ignoring her hand.

“I’m not sure, but it’s probably the Rohypnol.” She said as blithely as if she was talking about the weather.

“The what?” Derek stammered, bracing his clawed hand against the bedroom door.

Rebecca hung her head, “The Alphas always drugged me if they left me alone. That’s part of why you and your mate confused me so much at first. I thought you were them.”

“Stiles is not my mate.” Derek snapped.

Rebecca held up her hands, a smirk on her face, “Sorry, Dez. My mistake, it’s just your scent changed a bit when we were in your car. I was clear headed enough to smell that right. Being around your mate usually does that. I remember that much from Momma’s talks.”

“Not a word, Rebecca.” He ordered, and she nodded, gesturing to the door.

He opened it, and Melissa was on the other side, staring skeptically at them both, “She shouldn’t be up.”

Rebecca gave her the winning smile she had inherited from their mother, “The drugs that were messing with my head have worn off mostly.” She looked down at the bandages on her arms and legs, “Thank you for taking care of these for me. Hopefully, I’ll be good as new in a few days.” She sniffed the air. “Do I smell blueberry pancakes?”

Melissa decided it was best for her sanity to just go with it. Besides, she really needed to talk to the girl. There were things about her that she hadn’t felt comfortable telling Derek. “Yeah, there’s bacon and eggs too.”

Rebecca let her nose lead her to the kitchen, limping slightly, and gave a shy wave to the two boys. “Hi!”

Derek wrapped an arm around her shoulders, “Scott, Stiles, this is my youngest sister, Rebecca.”

Scott waved awkwardly before continuing to stuff his face, but Stiles just stared. Rebecca surged forward, folding her arms around Stiles, “I’m so sorry I snapped at you. I wasn’t all there.”

Stiles locked eyes panickedly with Derek who shrugged and grabbed a pancake. Stiles patted her shoulder gently, “Uh...I forgive you?”

Rebecca let him go, beaming, “I’m so glad! I was afraid we were going to have issues. Besides, we’re family now.”

“Rebecca.” Derek hiss warningly.

She looked over at him with a pout, “Dezzy, I just meant that he’s pack.”

Milk spewed out of Scott’s nose, “Dezzy?” Melissa slapped him on the back of the head.

Stiles on the other hand was staring at Rebecca like she’d told him Christmas was coming early, “I’m pack?”

She nodded, “Yeah, these knuckle heads probably haven’t noticed since they’re with you all the time, but you smell like them. In a purely werewolf scent on human aspect of course.”

Stiles smiled stupidly at her and then Derek, “I like her!” His smile fell, “Wait, won’t the Alphas come after her?”

Rebecca shook her head, looking at her bare feet on the smooth white tile, “They won’t bother. I was just a convenient chew toy that didn’t die as easy as their human ones. I’ve been with them for so long that most of them don’t even remember I’m a Hale.” Her mouth twitched into a grimace, “I forget too sometimes.”

Only the front door slamming shut signaled that Derek had left. Stiles looked down the hall, and back to her, “Was he always so angry?”

Rebecca shrugged, picking up a pancake straight from the serving plate before glancing bashfully at Ms. McCall and grabbing a plate to put the pancake on. “Sorry.”

Melissa smiled kindly, “It’s alright, Rebecca.” She didn’t think the bone thin girl had eaten a meal like this in a very long time.

Rebecca ducked her head and sat down next to Scott, “Derek’s always been intense. He was the only boy so our dad put a lot of pressure on him. Our dad acted like Derek and Laura should have been more than everyone else in the pack, but we were all just kids.” She looked down the hallway Stiles was still staring down, “Derek doesn’t know what he’s doing. Laura was being taught to be Alpha. She was oldest. He was just supposed to be her head beta.”

“What about you?” Scott asked between bites.

“McKenna, Maggie and I were just ‘Daddy’s little girls’. He was a hardass with Derek and Laura, but total mush with the three of us. I think it’s a sign that Derek and Laura were the only ones that didn’t get killed or kidnapped. Our father made them strong, but he forgot about the rest of us.” Rebecca tried not to let her mind fall back into the dark place of guilt she had lived the last six years in. Because even on her best day, she still felt guilty for being alive.

Derek had come back in, and was standing next to the wall, staring at his youngest sister. Stiles walked up to him, “Are you going to just let her go all mopey and shit?”

Derek looked into the human’s deep brown eyes, “I can’t help her, Stiles. I feel those same things everyday.” He loathed Stiles’ eyes. They made him feel to much that he tried not to feel, and with Rebecca added into the mix, things inside him would just get stirred up that much more.

“I’m sorry.” Stiles said, taking a half step forward, his eye still locked on Derek’s.

Derek could only stand being so close to him for so long, and stepped away, “I called Isaac. He’s coming here so we can go find Erica and Boyd.”

“Allison is on her way over too.” Scott added mildly.

“I thought you two broke up.” Derek snapped.

Scott made a face at him, “We did, but we’re still friends.”

“Pussy.” Derek groused, earning a glare from Scott’s mother.

“Who are all these people?” Rebecca asked curiously.

Stiles slid onto the chair next to her, causing Derek to growl softly, “Well, let me give you the short version. Allison is Scott’s one true love, and ex-girlfriend. She also happens to be an Argent.” Rebecca’s eyes widened, and Stiles laughed, “I know, right, makes no sense! Isaac is the only nice baby wolf, but don’t ask about his daddy issues. Boyd is intimidating, and Erica is just a bitch.”

Rebecca laughed, “Most female werewolves are! You all are lucky, I’ve had the bitch bitten and beaten out of me.”

Derek glared at her, “Becca, you have to stop talking like that. Nothing about what happened to you is a good thing.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. I’ve learned to not take good things for granted.” She shot a pointed look from him to Stiles. “Right now, my whole body aches, and all I really want to do is go to sleep. But I don’t want to miss a second with you and your pack.” She stood, “In fact, I want to help you find them.”

Rebecca started unraveling one of the bandages on her wrist, and Melissa rushed forward, “Sweetie, you really should leave those on so...” The skin that had nearly been rubbed to the bone by the cuffs around Rebecca’s wrists had healed, only a slight discoloration hinting at the messy wound that had previously been there. “Well I still need to talk to you in private.” Melissa urged.

“Those weren’t Alpha wounds.” Rebecca murmured, and bent over to pull the bandages off her ankles, her hand flitting up to her stomach for an instant, “I’m sorry, Ms. McCall, but I’ve got to go.”

And that was the view that greeted Isaac when he walked through the door. Rebecca’s butt in the air facing him. His eyes widened, “Uh...”

Rebecca twisted to the side to look at him, “Oh, hi!” She straightened, and sprang towards him, giving him a tight hug. “You must be Isaac.” She jerked back, looking up into his blue eyes in shock, “Oh... You smell really good.”

Isaac kept his hands on her hips, and they just stared at each other. He couldn’t believe that one look at her in that old lady nightgown, and he was instantly hard. “You do too.” He said, his arms unconsciously tightening around her waist.

“Thank you.” She replied, a blush staining her pale features, “I’m Rebecca.”

“Isaac.” He said.

Rebecca drew her eyes away from him to look at her brother, “Where did you find him?” Derek wrinkled his nose and grabbed her arm, pulling her away from Isaac. “Hey!” Rebecca shrieked.

“Come on, Becca. That’s just too weird for me to deal with today. I just got you back, and last I remember you as was a ten year old.” He heaved a big sigh, “I really can’t handle anymore today.”

The dazed look faded from Rebecca’s eyes, “Okay, I understand. Let’s go find your little wolves, and we can catch up some more.” She grabbed one of both Isaac and Derek’s hands, dragging them out the door.

Stiles sidled up to Scott, whispering, “Any idea what just happened there?”

Scott shook his head slowly, “Not a clue.”

Rebecca and Isaac laughed like children as they walked hand in hand through the forest, but Stiles had taken notice that the farther they walked, the more on edge Rebecca seemed to be. “Are you okay?” Stiles found himself asking.

Rebecca turned to look at him, but her smile faltered as she spoke, “Of course I’m alright. I’ve got my brother back.” She looked up at Derek, “You could join them, you know. Then we wouldn’t have to worry about them coming after me. You could protect me, and Scott could take the pack over.”

Derek glared at her, “Becca, I’m not going to join the Alpha pack. As shitty as it is, I’ve got my own pack. Why would you ever want to go back to them anyway? They tortured you!”

She ducked her head submissively at his raised voice. “They weren’t all bad.” He continued to glare at her, and she shrugged, “I’m sorry. You’re right.”

Scott looked ahead, trying not to dwell on her comment about him taking the pack over, “Hey, I think there’s a clearing up ahead.”

As soon as they entered the clearing, Derek knew something was terribly wrong. Rebecca looked near tears, and guilt was rolling off her in waves. “Becca, what’s wrong?”

She backed away from him, tears welling up in her eyes, “I’m so sorry, Derek. I had to.”

Instinctively, he stepped back from her, “Rebecca, what are you talking about?”

The tears bubbled over, “I had to bring you here. If I didn’t they said they’d...”

“Mommy!” The cry rang through the trees and Rebecca gasped, her face pale in horror.

“What’s going on, Rebecca?” Derek hissed.

“Zoe!” Rebecca yelled, running to the far side of the clearing. A small child in a bright red coat seemed to fly out of the trees, colliding with Rebecca. Derek watched his sister sink to her knees, sobbing over the child, “I’m so sorry.” She kept repeating the phrase. From over her shoulder, the sharp blue eyes of the child locked with Derek’s.

Suddenly, Rebecca jerked the child off the ground and looked at Derek. “Run, Derek, while there’s still time, run. I’m so sorry, just run! Forgive me.” Her voice was soft, but he heard it.

A female voice sent a chill down both Rebecca and Derek’s spines, “Oh come on, Becca. Do you think we’d let the brat get too far ahead of us?” Rebecca whimpered, clutching the child closer to her chest and putting her body between the new voice and the kid. “Don’t worry, we fed her while you were gone. Not what she’s used to, but she managed.” A tall dark haired woman emerged from the tree cover, several other werewolves flanking her. Wolfed out, they all had red eyes, but the center female was completely in human form.

“McKenna.” Derek chocked out, taking in her sharp features and green eyes.

The woman smiled, “Hello, Derek. Thank you for helping our Rebecca back to us. The brat was getting on our last nerve.”

Scott came up behind Derek, “McKenna, as in your sister?”

Derek nodded, his eyes jerking back from McKenna to Rebecca. “How old are you now, McKenna? Twenty? But you still can’t stand up for yourself. You’ve always had to have someone at your back.”

She snarled, causing Rebecca to cringe away, “Shut your mouth, Derek Hale. We’re here to liberate you of your weak little pack. We are giving you the opportunity to be a part of something great.”

Derek turned his head to the left, whispering softly to the only present human, “Stiles, take Becca and run. Get as far away as you can.” He looked to Rebecca, who nodded slightly, confirming that she was close enough to hear his instruction.

Rebecca shifted the child, whispering something to her before setting her on her feet. With speed that declared the child’s parentage, she ran at Stiles. The human boy caught her with a grunt. “Hello...” Stiles said awkwardly.

The little girl smiled at him, flashing teeth with a distinct fang quality, “Hi, Mommy say to stay wif you.”

Stiles didn’t respond because McKenna lunged at Rebecca, puling her up by her short hair. “You stupid little whore!” Now Derek knew why Rebecca had been so insistent that he cut her hair. They obviously used it to control her. McKenna sunk her fangs deep into Rebecca’s neck, causing her to scream out in pain. There was a snapping noise, and McKenna tossed her away after a few seconds, letting her sister’s lifeless body roll a few feet.

Derek couldn’t move. His brain was trying to understand what was going on, and it just couldn’t. Proving his more than Beta nature, Scott attacked first, shaking Derek out of his stupor, “Stiles, go!”

Stiles ran, stumbling with the child in his arms several times, but never losing his footing. He wouldn’t let Derek down. He could hear the vicious noises as the wolves began to fight, and his mind went to Allison. She could help. She would have to, because if she didn’t, he was pretty sure Scott, Derek, and Isaac wouldn’t stand a chance against the Alpha pack.

Hands shaking, he sat the little werewolf in the passenger seat of his Jeep and started dialing Allison’s number, his fingers shaking. “Allison, I...we...need help.”

The Argent was caught off guard by the tone of Stiles’ voice, “Stiles? What’s up?”

He was suddenly finding it hard to breath, “The Alphas, they set up this trap, and now Derek, Scott, and Isaac are fighting them alone. I think one of them already killed Derek’s sister. Actually, I think she was Derek’s sister too, but I’m not sure. Point is, we need help. At this point, I think it’s either you help us, or we all die.”

Stiles hadn’t been paying enough attention to hear the rustling of Allison getting ready on the other end of the phone. “Where are you?” She asked, motioning to her dad.

“Uh...the forest? I don’t know. I’m parked right at the entrance to the park.” He said, feeling hopeless.

“We’ll be there in five.” Allison enunciated clearly, “My dad says for you to stay away from where they’re fighting until we get there.”

A sharp howl rang through the trees, and Stiles gulped, “Allison, hurry. I’m not sure they have that long.” He let his phone close, and looked at the little girl in his passenger seat, “Uh...Zoe, right?”

She nodded, “That’s what Mommy calls me.”

“And your mommy, her name is Rebecca?” Stiles asked, hoping she wasn’t. Zoe nodded again. “How old are you, Zoe?” He questioned, now dreading any answer.

“Mommy says I’ll be four in three moons.” She said softly, blue eyes on the forest.

If she was nearly four, than Rebecca would have only been thirteen when she was born, and the thought made Stiles’ stomach roll. Rebecca had gone through hell, and it made it worse knowing that her own sister had taken some part in it.

It seemed like less than five minutes later when the black Argent SUV’s showed up. Allison ran up to the Jeep, “Stiles, where are they?”

Not quite trusting the Argent’s with the baby werewolf, he pulled Zoe into the driver’s seat and turned his back to her, “Hop on, Blue Eyes.” Zoe felt like a warm blanket settling against his back, her tiny fingers laced in front of his neck. “This way.” He said, ignoring the stares.

As the hurried through the trees, Allison peered at the little girl, “Uh, Stiles, who does she belong to?”

He laughed deeply, “Long story short, she’s Derek’s niece.”

“I thought all of his family except for Peter were dead?” She said.

Stiles nodded, “So did he.” Zoe’s hands tightened on his throat, “Hey, careful there, Zoe, I need to breath!” He said, hoping she wasn’t about to try to strangle him.

Zoe whimpered, burying her face in his shoulder, “I can’t hear Mommy.”

He wanted to hug her, to tell her that everything would be okay, but when they reached the clearing he knew things were far from okay. “Close your eyes.” He ordered the child.

Isaac was dead. His body off in the distance was too mangled for him to possibly be alive, and his eyes were wide and blank. He was draped over Rebecca’s equally still body like he had been protecting her. A rapid fire of events suddenly made sense to Stiles. The weird interaction between Isaac and Rebecca. They were mates. He’d heard Derek tell Scott a little about mating, and it was the only explanation he could think of as to why Isaac would have let himself be so badly hurt for someone he had just met.

Derek himself was fighting McKenna, but that broke up when the Argent’s flooded in. Derek was injured, and Stiles wanted to run over to him. He didn’t though because the look in Derek’s eyes told him that the werewolf might actually rip his throat out if he got any closer. Scott, looking slightly worse for wear, trotted up to Derek who growled something at him, and Scott made a beeline for Isaac and Rebecca.

Stiles was shaking when Derek limped up to him. “Are you alright?” Stiles nodded, and Derek reached a hand out to touch the top of Zoe’s head that was tucked into Stiles’ shoulder, “Everything will be alright, Zoelyn.” Her head jerked up, and Derek smiled, “That’s your name, isn’t it?” The little girl nodded, “I thought so.” He gently urged her to tuck her face back into Stiles’ shoulder, “That was the name Rebecca and Maggie always gave to their favorite doll.” He explained to Stiles before grabbing his shirt and hobbling over to Scott.

Derek ended up more leaning on Stiles the farther they went, and sunk to his knees when they reached Scott. Stiles’ best friend looked up, “Isaac is alive.” The announcement stunned Stiles, who had been so sure that Isaac was dead.

Derek pulled Rebecca into his lap, brushing her hair out of her face. Up close, her skin was ashen, and after having seen so much death recently, Stiles knew she was dead. Derek closed her eyes with his fingers, bowing his head over her body as if in prayer, “Rest, Becca. It’s all over now.” Stiles heard him whisper.

Zoe struggled in Stiles’ arms, and he was forced to put her down so she wouldn’t start scratching him with the tiny claw forming on her fingers. She ran to Derek, leaning her small body against him and joining him in his mourning. Derek hardly seemed to notice her at first, but when he did, he put an arm around her, touching his cheek to the top of her head.

Scott was probing Isaac’s wounds, and Allison was helping. “Did they get them?” Stiles asked, his voice unusually hoarse.

Allison nodded, “I think so. That dark haired one, that was Derek’s sister?”

“Yes.” Stiles answered, looking over at the Alpha. “She was his sister too.” He said, gesturing to the dead girl. “Did they catch McKenna?”

“I’m not sure. I can go check.” Allison offered.

Derek stood, picking Zoe up, not seeming to struggle under her weight with his injury. “I’ll look. If she’s not dead yet, I’m going to be the one to do it. She’s the reason Becca is dead.”

A few Argents came out from the trees, dropping a very haggard looking Erica and a pissed Boyd in front of Derek, “We figured these belonged to you.”

Derek glared at his wayward Betas, “I’ll deal with you two later.” They looked appropriately frightened. He sat Zoe down in front of Erica, “Watch her.” He looked at Stiles, who’s heart skipped a beat at the expression, “Watch them both.” Derek hobbled away, not waiting for Stiles to respond.

Isaac regained consciousness a half hour later, as female screams echoed through the forest. He blinked wildly until his eyes found Becca’s still body. He whines pathetically, and Allison pulls him into a hug, “I’m sorry Isaac.” She’s crying with him, and Stiles can imagine why. Guilt. Stiles gets it because he is feeling the same way. They got lucky, he and Allison. The people they love are still alive, and Isaac lost Becca before he ever got to know her.

Zoe seemed to recognize what the teenagers are just coming to grips with, and she crawls into Isaac’s lap. He’s a stranger, but she allows him to wrap his arms around her as he sobs into her dark brown hair. “Why does it hurt so much?” Isaac moaned. He can’t comprehend his own feelings. He’s still crying when Derek comes back, bloody, but relatively uninjured.

“Becca was your mate.” Derek says softly, an acidic look on his face, even though his words were gentle, “I’m not sure that pain ever goes away.”

“It doesn’t.” Peter had apparently decided to join them. “Just saw McKenna, and I’m so glad to know you don’t just reserve parricide for me.” The older Hale’s eyes fell on Rebecca’s body, “Is that?”

Derek nodded. “Becca.”

Peter hissed, kneeling next to her, “Who did this?”

“McKenna.” Derek answered, “That’s why I killed her.”

Peter touched some of Rebecca’s hair before standing. “I didn’t know they got out.”

“I don’t think anyone did.” Derek admitted.

Peter felt a tug on the hem of his coat, “Are you Peter?”

Peter bent down to Zoe’s level, “Yes, I am. And who are you, little girl? Did you get lost in the woods?” Stiles couldn’t help but imagine Peter as the Big Bad Wolf in Little Red Riding Hood.

Disregarding his sense of self preservation, Stiles rushed forward, and scooped Zoe up, glaring at Peter, “This is Zoe, Rebecca’s daughter.”

Peter seemed to realize as they all had that Zoe was much too old for Rebecca to have been a willing participant in her conception, but he shook off the angry face and smiled, “It’s nice to meet you, Zoe. I’m your Uncle Peter.”

Derek moved to Stiles’ side, his hand lingering on the back of the human’s neck before putting his hand on Zoe’s head, “No, you’re not her uncle. I am. She’s part of my pack.”

“Pack?” Allison exclaimed. “She’s just a kid.”

Derek arched an eyebrow at her, “You didn’t think we were all bitten, did you? Zoe comes by her talent the same way Peter and I did, by birth.”

“Oh, I guess I’d never really thought about that.” Allison said, giving a wary look to Scott.

Stiles leaned closer to Derek, “I think you just opened a huge can of worms. Way to go, sour-wolf.”

“I am not a sour-wolf. Besides, it’s the truth.” Derek replied, staring at Stiles. “She likes you.”

Stiles looked at the little girl in his arms. She had fallen asleep. “Wha?”

Peter snorted, “Well, Stiles, looks like you’ve got a kid now. If she’s that comfortable with you, she’s not going to want to be too far away from you until she gets older.”

“So I’m like her...foster dad?” Stiles said, unconsciously tugging her red coat closer around her shoulders.

“Exactly. Good thing Derek here is so taken with you. You’re going to need his help. It’s one thing to bite someone to make them a werewolf. It’s a complete different animal to raise one. I always thought my brother was stupid having so many. Derek was especially a deal of trouble.” Peter looked too damn happy.

It pissed Derek off. “Go away, Peter. You’re not part of this pack.”

Peter shrugged, walking into the forest, “I’ll go make my own.”

“Why do I have the feeling there was a ‘And then I’ll be back’ added onto the back of that?” Stiles asked, finally realizing that he was pressed up against Derek.

Derek growled, “It does.”

They all trudge to the Hale house, Isaac carrying Rebecca’s body. He’d refused to be parted from her, and Stiles couldn’t help but empathize with the guy. When they got inside, Stiles sat against the wall, settling Zoe into his lap, her head still against his chest. Isaac did the same with Rebecca, laying her body out on the only sofa and holding one of her hands against his cheek.

There was a sort of grinding noise and instant before Rebecca jerked in Isaac’s arms. Derek was on his feet in an instant. “Becca?”

Isaac was looking into her face when her eyes opened. “What happened?” She said, rubbing her throat.

Derek shook his head, whispering under his breath, “I should have known. No wolfsbane or amputation.” He looked at his baby sister, “McKenna snapped your neck.”

“The bitch.” Rebecca growled, looking up at Isaac, who was just staring at her. “Hey.”

The strange new couple went to the dining room to talk and Derek settled next to Stiles, “She’s still asleep?”

Stiles looked at the little girl in his arms, “Yeah.” He tilted his head to the side. “Rebecca didn’t even ask about her.”

Derek sighed, “To be honest, she probably won’t. In most packs like the one we were raised in, all the pups are raised by a single mother figure. Our mother just happened to be that figure. Rebecca’s been keeping Zoe safe, but she senses that Zoe isn’t in danger anymore.”

“So she’s abandoning Zoe.” Stiles said, watching as Rebecca eased to the front door.

Shooting to his feet, her brother slammed the door shut in her face, “Where are you going?” Derek demanded, “You weren’t about to leave your daughter, were you?”

“There’s a pack now. Zoe doesn’t need me.” Rebecca said, looking down.

“Yes, she does, Becca.” Derek insisted.

“No, Derek, she doesn’t. I’ve never been her mother. I was too young, too scared. I’ve spent most of my time since she was born trying to protect her while I was drugged out of my mind. I need to be out on my own right now because I don’t know who I am.” Rebecca reached out to touch him on the arm, “You’ll take care of them, won’t you? Zoe and Isaac?”

“Isaac’s part of the pack. I have to take care of him, and the same goes for Zoe, she’s family.” He said, knowing that Rebecca wasn’t staying.

Rebecca hugged him, “I love you, Dez. I’ll be back, promise.” She hugged Zoe, “Be good, Zoe.”

“Bye, Momma.” Zoe said, waving as her mother walked out the door. Smiling up at Stiles, the little girl held her hands up, “Can we go get ice cream now?”

“Uh...sure.” Stiles answered, hoisting her back onto his hip, “What are we supposed to do with her? You certainly can’t take her back to your place, it’s a mess.”

Derek chuckled, and the look he gave Stiles made him want to retract his question, “I am so glad you asked.”

* * *

Rebecca Hale (Alexis Bledel) 

McKenna Hale (Katie McGrath) 

Zoelyn (Age 4: Ashley Boettcher)-


	2. The Collectors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are settling down in Beacon Hills, preschooler baby-werewolf Zoe Hale is happy being raised by her Uncle Derek and Papa Stiles, but not everything is as it seems...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I'm terribly sorry for taking so long to get this out! It took forever for me to get it even close to the length I wanted, and then it suddenly took off! As a result, this chapter is a fair shot longer than the first! I don't think any of you will mind though! I'd seriously wanted to get this out before Season 3 started, but that didn't work out for me. However, I plan on taking some characters from these first two episodes and incorporating them into the plot I'd already thought out! So chapter three will have Season 3 characters, but not follow 98.9% of what happens in Season 3!
> 
> Anyway, enjoy this chapter! See you on the other side!

Stiles yawned into the back of his hand, getting up so early was not fun, but the little wolf hadn’t given him much choice. She had a nasty habit of biting his hands when he didn’t get up when she wanted him to...they were working on that. The only consolation was that both Derek and Peter assured him that Zoe’s bites were completely harmless, with no chance of turning him.

Zoe fidgeted on the stool in front of him as he combed through her hair, still wet from her morning bath. His dad popped his head into the bathroom, “Morning, kiddo!”

Zoe giggled and launched herself from the stool and into John Stilinski’s arms, “Grandpa!”

Stiles sighed, it had been adorable when Zoe had first called his dad grandpa, but now it just reminded him that at seventeen, he was an adoptive father. His dad peppered kisses over Zoe’s face before looking to his son, “Rough night?”

Stiles slumped against the bathroom counter, “Zoe wouldn’t go to sleep, and when she finally did, I had to study for the Calculus test I’m going to fail anyway. I think I slept two hours.”

John laughed, “I told you raising a kid wasn’t going to be easy.”

“Yeah, you did, but you promised no more night shifts.” Stiles snapped back.

Zoe wrapped her arms around his knees, “Papa Stiles, don’t be mad.”

Stiles sighed, picking her up and nuzzling the side of her face, “I could never be mad at you, Blue Eyes, I’m just sleepy.”

Well, he might have been mad at her the time she tried to eat the neighbor’s cat, but Derek had put the kibosh on that when he scooped up the little girl and praised her on her hunting skills. It had been beyond adorable. Turned out that when confronted with those big blue eyes and the angelic little face, Derek was no stronger than the rest of them. He doted on her. Anything little Zoelyn wanted, she got, no questions asked.

Stiles was her favorite though, so he didn’t get too upset about Derek showering her with gifts. It meant that the room he and his dad had cleared out for her was full of toys though, giving her a good excuse to sleep in Stiles’ bed every night. Most nights, he didn’t mind the ball of warmth snuggled up against him, but the night before had been a bitch.

He’d been trying to study, but Zoe was so highly strung that for a brief moment, he’d considered either slipping her some of his Adderall or scrounging up some sort of kid sleeping pills from the stash his dad didn’t think he knew existed. He’d refrained from doing either though, and had suffered through her tearing around the house like a tiny hurricane.

Stiles perched her back onto the stool and gathered her hair into pigtails, just the way she liked it. Ten minutes later, and he was cooking bacon in the microwave, watching Zoe as she ate a bowl of cereal and gnawed happily on the piece of raw bacon he’d held back for her. Part of a balanced baby-werewolf diet, Derek had assured him. It had only made Stiles nauseous for the first month.

Once breakfast had been scarfed down, Stiles hoisted his backpack onto his shoulder and held Zoe’s out to her, “Time for school, Blue Eyes.”

She took it and ran to his Jeep. That had been a point of contention between him and his dad. Sheriff Stilinski highly disapproved of Stiles driving a four year old around in a Jeep, but Derek had explained to his dad all about the existence of werewolves, just to convince John that the fragile looking little girl was actually highly durable. His dad had taken everything pretty well, but that didn’t stop him from throwing a fit when he caught Derek sitting with her on the roof outside Stiles’ window. Roof adventures were now strictly off limits until she was at least thirteen.

Everything about Zoe drew adults in, telling their brains that she was something to be treasured, and protected at all costs. Even Erica was fond of Zoe. It had taken her a few months to get over not being the only girl in the pack, but now she treated Zoe like her beloved little sister.

Erica was waiting for them outside the daycare next to the high school, Boyd dutifully at her side. Zoe ran to Erica, leaving her backpack in the front seat. Stiles grabbed it with a groan, walking slowly to where the two females were comparing their exposed claws, “Erica, cut that out. You know better.” Stiles scolded, earning a glare and a growl from the blonde.

Erica mock pouted at the child, “Awe, Stiles is always ruining our fun.”

Zoe blinked at her a few times before responding earnestly, “Unka Derek says I’m supposed to listen to Papa Stiles.”

Erica rolled her eyes, “Zo, you are adorable, but when you get all ‘Derek is the best’ it pisses me off.”

“Aren’t we all in chipper moods this morning!” Stiles said in mock happiness, glaring at Erica, “Here, Zoe, take your back pack. You’re going to be late if we don’t get inside.”

Zoe did as she was told. She always did. Never, in the five months she’d been living in his house had Zoe ever done something she was told not to do. The preschool teacher loved her, but he could see how the woman winced every time she saw the scar on Zoe’s upper left arm. When she’d started preschool, they’d told the teacher that she was Laura’s daughter, and that her father had abused her. Legally, that was what happened at least, and when Derek found out, he sued for custody. Everyone just assumed that Stiles was Zoe’s nanny and that he picked her up from Derek’s everyday. Only his dad and the Pack knew where she really lived or what had happened to her.

Rebecca hadn’t always been able to protect Zoe, and it appeared that the Alphas had broken her arm so badly that the bone had protruded through the skin. It hadn’t been set properly, and Derek said they must have put wolfsbane on it for it to have scarred. He’d re-broken it a few months before so it would heal properly. 

Zoe had bitten Derek for his efforts, and then sobbed in Stiles’ arms for an hour before her arm healed. She was exceedingly attached to him, but always very gentle. He thought it was funny sometimes, holding her in his arms while he watched some show on TV, knowing that she was far stronger than he was. He couldn’t deny he loved being ‘Papa Stiles’ though, even on shitty mornings like this one. She waved at him once she was inside the preschool, going to the corner where her current best friend, a little boy named Trevor, was playing with Legos. “Bye, Blue Eyes.” Stiles whispered, earning a smile from her across the room.

“She’s a little doll.” Stiles looked over his shoulder to see a girl standing there, long curly blonde hair tied with a brightly colored ribbon.

“Uh, yeah, she is.” Stiles replied nervously. He’d never seen the girl before.

“I’m Kára, Trevor’s sister.” She said glancing fondly at the little boy Zoe was almost always chasing around.

Stiles nodded in acknowledgement, “Stiles.”

Kára smiled, “Right, I’ve seen you around school. You play lacrosse, right?

“I warm the bench, mostly.” Stiles said with a laugh. “I don’t recognize you though.”

Kára shrugged, “I’m kinda a loner. Weren’t you headed to class?”

Stiles looked at the time on his phone, cursing quietly, “I’ve got a test in three minutes.”

“Lead the way!” Kára chirped. “I’m in your class.” She explained at his strange expression.

When they entered the class room, Kára took a seat in the back corner, and Stiles took his spot next to Scott, “How’s Zoe this morning? Erica said you were in a bad mood.”

“Worried about this test.” Stiles explained, “Since when do you and Erica talk?”

Scott shrugged, “She came into school bitching about you hoarding Zoe and being an, and I quote, ‘Butt-face’. I heard her...I think half the school heard her actually. She was practically screaming it.”

“Awesome.” Stiles rubbed his face with his hands until the teacher showed up and passed out the tests. It wasn’t as bad as he’d thought it might have been, but judging by the constipated look on Scott’s face, he’d spent way too much time with Allison and not enough time studying.

Isaac was on him when lunch started two class periods later, “Has Derek heard from Rebecca again?”

“Not since the last time.” Stiles replied, feeling sorry for the poor werewolf. Rebecca had sent a postcard every few weeks, but they had recently stopped coming. Isaac was devastated.

“Do you think she’s alright?” Isaac asked.

Stiles stared at him, “Dude, she’s probably living it up, enjoying life and all that shit.”

“I hope you’re right.” Isaac said, apparently going back to mope in a corner.

Allison came to stand next to Stiles, “Is he okay?”

Stiles shook his head, “Not at all. Derek’s ordered him to stay, but I give him like a week before he goes after her. He was miserable all summer, but now he’s just pathetic.”

“I could put him out of his misery...” Allison trailed off humorously, grinning impishly at Stiles, who had gone instantly pale. Every once and a while, she seemed just a little reminiscent of her ‘crazy phase’, and it made him want to head for the hills...or at least hills outside of Beacon Hills. Allison rolled her eyes, “Kidding, Stiles. Don’t forget that Lydia and I are taking Zoe shopping Wednesday after school.”

Stiles winced, “Yeah, girl time, I remember. Just as long as Erica isn’t involved. She’s a bad influence.” He was suddenly jerked back into a choke hold and engulfed in blonde hair.

Erica popped her bubble gum in his ear, “I resent that, Stilinski. I happen to be a very good influence.” Allison and Stiles shared disapproving looks, and Erica groaned, shoving him away. “Come on! I’m not that bad! Zo loves comparing claws and shit.”

“She’s four, Erica.” Stiles drawled, trying to sound intimidating.

Erica rolled her eyes, “She’s a four year old werewolf, Stiles.”

Stiles held up his hand where Zoe’s latest bite mark was still visible, shaking it in front of Erica’s face, “Yeah, Erica, I’m well aware! My daughter tries to eat me like I’m prime rib half the time!”

Both girls stared at him, and Allison was the first to say anything, “Aww, Stiles, that’s the first time you’ve called her your daughter!”

It was, and even Stiles was shocked by the admission. “Uh, I’ve got to go. I accidentally put Zoe’s lunch in my bag.” He rushed back across the parking lot to the preschool, surprised to see Kára waiting outside, “Hey, you have lunch with Trevor?”

Kára laughed, “Nah, I’m on a special diet, but I like coming by to make sure he’s okay during lunch.” She looked through the window, “He and Zoe sure are chummy.”

A shiver ran down Stiles spine, “I never told you her name.”

Kára blinked at him a few times before smiling brightly, “Trevor talks about her all the time. He says she’s his girlfriend.” Stiles didn’t have time to launch into a lecture about how they were four and obviously not dating. Kára stepped towards him, putting a hand on his shoulder, “I’m so glad I met you, Stiles. Trevor talks about you too. He says you’re a good guy, that I’d like you, and he’s right.” Stiles stared blankly at the pretty blonde girl in front of him. Was she saying she liked him? He couldn’t really tell, but then she leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Bye, Stiles. See you at pick-up after school!”

He stared at her as she walked to the parking lot, disappearing between the parked cars. He grunted when Zoe came out of nowhere, slamming into his legs, her whole body shaking. “What’s wrong, Blue Eyes?” Stiles asked, hoisting her trembling body onto his hip as the preschool teacher ran out the door after her. He braced himself for the lecture she was sure to unleash on him.

“Mr. Stilinski!” She exclaimed, out of breath, “I wondered why she just took off like that! Zoe, you can’t do things like that.” She then turned her glare on Stiles, “Mr. Stilinski, you can’t keep coming up here every day. Zoe needs to learn how to be independent. And really, I’m sure you don’t get paid by Mr. Hale to visit her during lunchtime.”

Zoe growled at the woman’s tone, and Stiles pushed her head into his shoulder when her eyes turned from blue to gold. They’d worked on her control all summer, but having lived almost all of her life completely isolated from humans, Zoe struggled not to shift whenever she got upset or frustrated. They were working on it, but it was only her first few months of human interaction. She had no problem being gentle with Stiles, but she’d come running to Stiles if she got too worked up, her half transformed claws scratching slightly as his skin.

“Sorry, Ms. Henderson. I was bringing her her lunch, that’s all.” He adjusted his grip on her, wincing as her tiny fingers dug into his skin, “Zoe, what’s wrong?”

She looked at him, her eyebrows pulled tightly together, obviously imitating her uncle’s usual constipated expression. “Smells bad.”

“What?” Stiles asked, wishing she were old enough to be able to make coherent sentences consistently.

Zoe growled in frustration, “Girl.”

Stiles’ eyes widen in realization. She’d smelled Kára and was jealous, “You mean Kára? Come on, Zoe, you’ll always be my favorite girl. She’s your buddy Trevor’s sister.” Zoe pursed her lips and continued to scowl. Stiles sighed, shifting his grip on her when her eyes turned gold again, “Hey, Ms. Henderson, I think Zoe’s had enough fun for the day. I’ll just grab her backpack and we’ll go.”

Ms. Henderson glared harder at Stiles, “Mr. Stilinski, I really don’t feel comfortable with you taking Zoe out of class early without her uncle’s approval.”

“Approved.” Stiles and Ms. Henderson jumped in unison when Derek came out of nowhere. He held out an arm to Zoe and she leapt from Stiles and into her uncle’s warm embrace. He gave Ms. Henderson a curt nod and gestured to Stile’s Jeep, “We’ll be waiting. Go get her stuff.”

Stiles was sure there was an unspoken ‘please’ in there somewhere, so he dodged inside, but as he was grabbing Zoe’s backpack, he looked over into the classroom. Trevor was standing alone in the corner of the room, staring straight at him with a piteous look on his face. Stiles waved in apology, but the little boy only glared harder.

He shivered as he walked out the door, “Creepy kid.”

Derek was looking more pissed than usual when he got back to his Jeep, “Who’s Kára?”

“Trevor’s sister. We were outside talking before Zoe came running out. I have no idea why she went all baby-wolf on me.” Stiles informed him, stopping to look over at Derek, scrunched in the passenger seat with Zoe clutched to his chest, “Why did you come?”

Derek definitely had his pissed face on, “Zoe was panicked. She’s a Pup. As the Alpha, I could feel it. She needed me.” He had a hand in her dark curls, trying to calm the half transformed child. It was heart wrenching and sweet all at the same time. Derek muttered to her all the way to Hale House, too softly for Stiles to hear, but when he followed Derek up the front steps, Zoe was totally human.

They could both tell she was sleepy, exhausted by her emotional outburst, but Derek was steadfastly unwilling to let her go, settling down on his new sofa with her tucked securely in his arms. Stiles hesitated for a moment before curling up on Derek’s other side, not touching him, per-say, but close enough that he could feel the heat coming off the werewolves. He reached across Derek and moved a dark curl out of Zoe’s face, “I hate today. Can we just go to sleep and pretend this morning never happened? Well, except my Calculus test, I think I aced it. It’s a freaking miracle really, but...”

“Stiles.” Derek said firmly.

Stiles shut his mouth, settling down and gazing more at how positively paternal Derek looked with Zoe asleep on his chest. Stiles’ eyes flitted over Derek’s face, “Pretty.”

Derek didn’t acknowledge that he had spoken, but when his phone started ringing three hours later, Derek couldn’t ignore him. Somehow in their sleep, they’ed migrated closer together. Stiles was using Derek’s chest as a pillow, his face inches from Zoe’s, her dark lashes in stark contrast with her pale skin. Stiles made a mental note to have her out in the sun more. Kids needed sun, right? Then he becomes all to aware of where his hand was resting when Derek groaned in his sleep. His left hand had drifted to rest on the inside of Derek’s thigh, dangerously close to his crotch, which was half tented in sleepy arousal.

Instead of doing what any normal person would have, Stiles just stared at his hand, just inches from the object he’d dreamed about more than he possibly should have. Derek groaned again, moving slightly, and Stiles bolted before the phone woke him up completely. True, Stiles stumbled over his own two feet in the doorway, but once he righted himself, he made a record run to his Jeep.

Unfortunately, when he got home, his dad was sitting at the kitchen table. “You didn’t go to any of your afternoon classes.”

Stiles swallowed tightly, melting under his father’s harsh glare, “Uh...Zoe had an incident in the preschool. I was taking care of her.”

John clenched his jaw, “Stiles, I was very clear about you skipping classes. Don’t use Zoe as an excuse. Where is she anyway?”

Stiles set his backpack down, glad to be rid of the load. He was fine with carrying around a four-year-old, but for some reason, his backpack seemed to weigh five hundred pounds, “I uh...left her with Derek. Thought I could get some homework done. They were taking a nap.”

John’s scowl lasted about five seconds longer before turning into an incredulous smile, “Never thought I’d be in the know about Derek Hale’s napping schedule.”

Stiles smiled, thinking about how much Zoe had changed his relationship with Derek. “Yeah, me neither.” He drug his backpack up the stairs, his head in the past until he was half-way through his English homework.

Stiles couldn’t help but wonder why things changed, but he knew the answer. Zoe. Things had changed in the last four months. Yeah, he was co-parenting a four-year-old, but more than that had changed. Particularly between him and Derek. Derek smiled sometimes now. Mostly at Zoe of course, but sometimes, his smiling face would drift up to Stiles’ face, and they would stare at each other, smiling for a few seconds before Derek would quickly turn his face away, a twitch of his eyebrows the only evidence that he was embarrassed by the intense expression.

Stiles was sure that Derek could hear how his heart faltered anytime he looked at him. The werewolf never commented though.

Somewhere in between Jackson and Lydia’s vows of undying affection, finding Zoe, and now, Stiles had started dreaming less of long strawberry-blonde hair and curves, and more of hard lines, stubble, and sharp green eyes.

For Zoe’s sake, he’d been locking it all in. From what Derek had told him, being apart from Stiles for too long at her young age would put Zoe into a near constant state of distress, and he was certain that if Derek knew half the things he’d dreamed of, he’d either kill him of forbid him from coming anywhere near them again. Both options would kill him, albeit the second one would be more long and painful

Slamming his head down on the desk, Stiles tried to pretend that he was just any other teenaged boy with normal teenaged boy issues. Kára. Yeah, she was pretty safe to think about. Safe. Something about that word made Stiles’ head hurt. Sure, Kára seemed to be the nice, pretty, safe choice, but nothing about her set his blood on fire and left him aching.

Boobs and curled blonde hair? Nothing. Piercing green eyes and a dick, and he was raring to go. His dad had to have dropped him on his head as a child.

Multiple times.

The shiver down his spine let him know he wasn’t alone anymore. “You left.”

Stiles couldn’t help but chuckle. A normal person would have said, ‘Why’d you leave?’, but not Derek. He went straight for the growled accusatory statement. “Zoe was still asleep, so I came home to get some homework done.” Stiles lied effortlessly.

If Derek could hear the lie in his heartbeat, he didn’t comment. That was the one thing Stiles could count on Derek to do for him. Or at least he thought he could.

“Don’t lie to me.” Derek growled after a few minutes of silence, and Stiles could feel him get closer.

“Where’s Zoe?” Stiles asked, knowing that Derek never took that tone in front of her. He’d send her out of the room with whoever hadn’t pissed him off first.

“With Scott.” Derek hissed, “Don’t try to change the subject.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.” Stiles choked out, his calm exterior crumbling. He wrung his hands together above his lap, “You shouldn’t leave her with Scott, he might get them both injured. He’s good at stuff like that.”

Derek grabbed the back of his rolling chair and yanked him around, slamming his hands onto the desk on either side of Stiles, “Stop lying.”

Stiles couldn’t stand being so close to Derek, so he did what any reasonable teenager would do when faced with an angry werewolf that turned them on, he physically melted out of his chair. When he looked up from his new spot on the floor, half under his desk, Derek was staring at him like he was crazy. “Homework, that’s it. I swear!” Stiles said defensively.

“Were you with that Kára girl?” Derek accused, dragging him off the floor by his shirt.

Stiles couldn’t hold back the nervous laugh when Derek tossed him onto his bed, “I’ve had dreams that start out like this. Usually you don’t look quite this angry though!” He threw his head back on the bed in frustration, and covered his eyes with his hands, “God, just kill me now. I can’t keep my damned mouth shut.”

Derek snorted, “Thought we already established that.”

“Pretty much.” Stiles choked out, trying to think of Scott and Allison kissing to quell his growing erection.

Derek held himself in the window frame, smirking slightly, “The Pack is gonna be at the house tonight, bring pizza.”

“Pizza?” Stiles yelled, running to the window just in time to see Derek land on the ground below his window. “What kind?”

Derek cut his eyes back up to Stiles, “Sausage.”

It took Stiles twenty minutes to pull himself off the floor and stumble into his Jeep. He had been fumbling with his keys for a minute before his dad opened the passenger door, “Heading to Hale’s?”

Stiles nodded, “Getting pizza on the way. Pack meeting.”

John gestured to the seat, “Mind if I tag along? Haven’t seen Isaac is a few weeks. His foster parents called earlier worried about him.”

“Wonderful.” Stiles said, motioning for his father to get in the car, “You’re buying.”

John chuckled, “Buying pizza to feed the entire wolf pack? I was not born last night, Kiddo. I’ve seen Zoe pack away an entire pizza on her own, and she’s four. We’ll split the bill.”

Stiles gawked at his father, “Dad! Come on, I hardly make anything working at Deaton’s, and Scott hogs all the hours!”

“Deal with it.” John advised brightly, buckling his seatbelt.

Zoe ran out the door when they pulled up in the Jeep. “Zoe, you’ve got to stop doing that!” Stiles groaned as she launched herself up into his arms. “Stay inside until someone comes out with you!”

She gave him a masterful pout that Lydia must have taught her, “Sorry Papa Stiles.”

And Stiles melted, “It’s alright, Blue Eyes. Where’s your Uncle Derek?”

“Derek’s in the back yard, said he wanted to talk to you.” Erica relayed, grabbing the stack of pizzas from the sheriff and making faces at Stiles. “Let’s get some grub, Zo!” 

Zoe clambered down Stiles and after the older female wolf, squealing excitedly, “Pizza! Pizza! Pizza!”

John laughed, “Man, I remember when you were like that. You’d do anything for food.”

Stiles grinned at his dad, “What’s changed?”

“You’ll do anything for curly fries instead of pizza, but you yell at me for having my weekly hamburger.” John retorted.

“Those things could kill you, Dad!” Stiles cried at his father as the other human entered the house.

“He’s got a strong heart, Stiles.” Derek said from the side of the house, “Let’s take a walk.” Stiles could feel his heart as it pounded in his chest. Derek led him into the woods, his arms crossed over his broad chest, “You want to tell me why you left?”

Stiles groaned, “Jesus, Derek! Give it a rest! I told you I needed to get some homework done!”

Derek glowered at him, “You’re lying.” Stiles opened his mouth to protest, but Derek’s assured step closer to him shut him up, “I could smell you when I woke up. Know what I smelled? Arousal. You reek of it almost all the time. I’ve been ignoring it for Zoe, but I can’t anymore.”

Stiles laughed nervously, he was so dead. He could only hope that if he stammered long enough, Derek would take pity on him and let him still look after Zoe. “Derek, dude, I’m a teenaged boy. It’s kind of a prerequisite to be turned on most of the time. It’s totally a natural reaction to...”

“You left Zoe because you were turned on. Who is it?” Derek asked, barging ahead before Stiles could answer, “Lydia? Erica? That Kára girl?”

Stiles found himself gaping at the werewolf like a fish. Did he really have no idea what his presence did to his poor teenaged libido? He almost laughed at the stunned expression that swept over Derek’s face when he managed to stammer, “Not a girl at all.”

Derek looked pissed a second later, “Danny?”

Stiles caught his arm when he spun back towards the house. “Derek, wait. It’s not Danny. It’s never been Danny.” He tried to convey everything he wanted to say with his eyes, not trusting himself to not say something embarrassing or stupid. Derek looked stunned, for the half a second Stiles could see his face before Derek practically threw him against the nearest tree, pinning him there. “Derek?” Stiles asked breathlessly, every nerve hyperaware of every inch of space Derek was touching.

Derek pressed his face to Stiles’ throat, inhaling deeply, “Me?”

Stiles laughed, “Yeah, you. I really don’t value my life at all.” Derek growled, “Oh, God, you’re going to kill me, aren’t you?”

He almost fainted when Derek laughed, “Not hardly, Genim.”

“Oh, man, I’ve never heard my name sound that damn good.” Stiles moaned. “Can you read some Shakespeare or Shades of Grey? Anything will do, as long as I can record it. Not that I’ve ever read Shades of Grey. That’s a chick book, and I already know Zoe’s never allowed to read it.”

“When is your birthday?” Derek asked, stopping Stiles’ rant.

Stiles stared at him for what had to have been ten minutes, “November eighth...”

“Good. Just a month.” Derek grunted, heading for the house again.

Stiles lunged after him, “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Derek gave him one of those looks that told Stiles how stupid he thought he was, “Stiles, your dad is the sheriff, and I don’t think Zoe would be able to stop him if your dad wanted to shoot me with wolfsbane bullets from his favorite shotgun. Not doing anything until November eighth.”

“Nothing?” Stiles whined, sticking out his lower lip.

Derek rolled his eyes, “Stop that, or I’ll rip your throat out with my teeth.”

Stiles smirked, “Oh, Derek, I love it when you talk dirty to me.”

“You are so strange.” Derek said, an almost smile on his face.

Stiles almost exploded with joy, “But it’s a good strange, right? I mean you like me, don’t you? You want to bang me into a tree and make little Sterek babies?”

“Sterek?” Derek echoed, looking dumbfounded.

“Our celebrity couple name.” Stiles answered quickly before he realized what he’d said, “You can’t get me pregnant, can you?”

Derek scowled, “You really need to lay off the internet porn. No, I cannot get a male pregnant.”

Stiles sighed in relief, walking towards the house, “Good, good. ‘Cause that would be awkward!” He looked back at Derek who hadn’t moved, “What?”

Derek looked distraught, well as distraught as a Sourwolf could look, “Just what kind of porn have you been reading?”

Stiles felt his face turn bright red, “I’m gonna just go to the house now.”

Derek was on him in an instant, pressing into him with a very distinct bulge in his jeans, his hands on Stiles’ hips, “Werewolf porn, huh? Just how long have you been attracted to me?”

“Um...pretty much once I realized you weren’t a vicious blood thirsty murderer?” Stiles looked up at Derek, “You?”

The corner of Derek’s mouth ticked up, “The pool.”

“So can that ‘nothing’ be negotiated?” Stiles asked.

“What did you have in mind?” Derek said playfully.

Stiles turned around in Derek’s loose grip, “Maybe you could kiss me? I’m sure my dad wouldn’t kill you for that.”

Derek’s arms twitched around him, and he growled lowly, “I think I can risk that.”

“Good, cause I’d be totally disappointed if you didn’t. I mean, I need something to compare all those hours of werewolf porn I’ve watched to. Am I going to need a tarp?” Stiles rambled. Derek growled again, louder, and pressed his mouth to Stiles’ neck, “Shit, Derek. Please don’t rip my throat out. I need it to talk and breathe and eat. I like eating. Especially curly fries, they are the best. Even Zoe likes them, and you know how picky an eater she can be. We can decimate a large thing of curly fries in like two minutes tops. Of course I shouldn’t tell you that, you don’t like it when Zoe eats that many curly fries.”

Derek laughed, well, it was actually more of a canine chuckle, but Stiles was going to take it as a laugh, “Stiles, shut up.”

And then they were kissing. Derek was warm against Stiles, one of his hands gently on the back of Stiles’ head, tilting it so he was at an angle more conducive to being ravaged in. Stiles started having a hard time breathing, but he wasn’t about to do anything to stop Derek’s advances. Derek pushed him against a tree, and the wood scratching against the back of his arms didn’t even bother him. Instinctively, his legs wrapped around Derek’s waist. The only thing on his mind was how overwhelming Derek was. They’d been doing the same song and dance for months, but once everything was out in the open, there was nothing either of them could do to stop it.

Stiles had his fingers on Derek’s belt buckle when Derek froze. He pulled back from Stiles, an amused expression on his face. Stiles was just about to ask what was wrong when he caught a streak of red in the distance, “Zoe.”

Derek nodded and pulled back from Stiles seconds before Zoe joined their little party, “Papa!” She cried, launching herself at Stiles.

He almost dropped her, his head still back with Derek. Zoe clung to him though, holding her own weight up with her arms around his neck, “Why are you out here?”

“Allie said the pizza was going cold and if you didn’t come soon, Scott and Jackson are going to eat it all.” Zoe explained, giggling.

“You think that’s funny?” Stiles said to her, in a playfully menacing manner.

Her face turned pink as she tried not to laugh again, “No, Papa.”

Derek swooped in, plucking her out of Stiles’ arms and tossing her into the air. “I think we need to go get Stiles some of that pizza before he makes a snack out of you!”

Zoe laughed when Derek had her hung upside down over his shoulder. Stiles raised an eyebrow at Derek, “All the blood is rushing to her head. I’m pretty sure that’s not good for her.”

Derek shrugged, “She’ll be fine. Besides, this way, she can’t hear us that well.”

“Really?”

He made a face, “More or less.”

“So a month, right?” Stiles asked.

Derek nodded, “If I don’t go crazy first.”

“Why?” Stiles asked, bemused.

Derek scowled at him, “You really have no idea how much you affect me, do you?”

There was an odd glint in Stiles’ eyes, “I’m going to enjoy finding out.”

Derek made a choking sound. “You’re going to kill me, aren’t you?”

“Maybe!” Stiles said cheerfully, entering the house ahead of the werewolves.

They all piled on top of one another that night, becoming a tangle of limbs in a tight circle around Zoe. The little girl had her head on Erica’s chest, their contrasting curls mingling together. Stiles was right next to Erica, a hand resting protectively on Zoe’s back, Derek with his back to Stiles, taking most of Scott’s weight since the younger wolf had decided to try sleeping on the top of the pile. Boyd was on Erica’s other side, a wide hand possessively on her hip, Jackson and Lydia sprawled together across everyone else’s legs, Isaac scrunched awkwardly with his head between Stiles and Erica and his legs tangled with Lydia’s. Danny and the Sheriff had crashed out on the sofa, both slumped on opposite armrests, the teenager snoring loudly.

Kára stood in the doorway, looking them over. She didn’t look when her companion approached from his surveillance of the Hale property, “Any luck?” He whispered.

She shook her head, glancing over at him. In his adult form, he was fiercely intimidating, broad shouldered and tan skinned, his face like a Roman-Greco marble statue, all beautiful hard lines.

Trevor pulled her to the door, “Come on. Let them get some rest, they’ll need it to make tomorrow fun.”

“I know.” Kára said quietly, sparing one last glance at the Hale House before taking Trevor’s hand and vanishing.

The Pack woke none the wiser to their late-night visitors, going about the day like it was any other Tuesday. Stiles and Zoe bumped into Kára and Trevor that morning at the preschool, the girl smiling at him, “Hi, Stiles.”

“Hey.” He responded, holding Zoe’s backpack so she could slip out of it.

“You okay?” Kára asked, doing the same for Trevor.

“Yeah, why?” Stiles asked, getting a weird feeling in his spine.

Kára shrugged, “You look tired.”

Stiles felt his face flush, “No, I slept great!”

She smiled, “That’s good.” They walked to the school together, “You think our tests will be back yet?”

“Could be.” Stiles said, hoping he’d done as well as he felt he had. “How do you think you did?”

“I don’t think I failed, but that’s pretty much the only feeling I’ve gotten for that test.” Kára answered mournfully.

Stiles glanced back at Kára when their teacher passed the tests back, and was glad to see her smiling at her paper. He was smiling at his test too. He’d done well enough to keep his dad off his back for a few days. He glanced at Scott’s test, “Well, at least that’s improvement over the last test at least.”

Scott looked like he was about to cry, “My mom’s going to kill me.”

Stiles elbowed his best friend with a laugh, “Good thing you’re super sturdy then.”

“She’ll ask Deaton to kill me, I know it.” Scott said, staring at the paper in his hands.

Stiles winced, “You’re probably right.”

“Save me?” Scott asked helplessly.

The human shrugged, smirking teasingly, “I don’t know, your mom’s kinda intense, Scott. She’s the only person who’s ever been able to get me to eat asparagus.”

“Asparagus isn’t that bad.” Scott offered pitifully.

Stiles made gagging noises and promptly got barked at by their teacher. The rest of the day was normal, like any other Tuesday, and Wednesday was equally normal in the beginning. Stiles dropped Zoe off at the preschool and walked to first period with Kára, taking his spot next to Scott, who was shifty due to it being the morning of a full moon. Zoe had been the same way the whole morning, but since she was still practically a baby, her anxious mood would be the only sign that she was a werewolf. According to Peter, when Zoe hit puberty, things would get a whole lot worse.

“You coming to the house tonight?” Stiles asked his friend, stretching out his left arm, still sore from acting as Zoe’s pillow the night before.

Scott shrugged, “I probably will, Allison and Lydia are co-opting Zoe, aren’t they?”

Stiles nodded, “Zoe’s ecstatic. They’re going shopping and then having a girl’s night at Allison’s. I think Erica is going to stay with them as long as she can before heading to Derek’s.”

“Are you going to be there?” Scott asked.

“I’ll be in the house. Derek’s going to take you all out into the woods tonight. I’ll be working on homework and setting clothes on the porch for you guys to change into before school. Just like usual, Scott. Only difference is I’ll be the only person in the house this time.” He should have asked the girls to make girl night at Hale House, but he wasn’t psychic.

At six o’ clock the next morning, the front door burst open. Boyd was holding Erica in his arms, and she was whimpering in pain, “What happened?” Stiles yelled, bolting off the sofa and towards the werewolves. Boyd growled at him when he got close, so he backed off, “Woah, Boyd, chill. What’s wrong?” He was really concerned, especially since Erica was only covered with one of the towels Stiles’d left out, and a still growling Boyd was stark naked.

Derek came through the doors a few seconds later, “Boyd, cut that out.”

Thankfully, Derek had pulled on a pair of jeans before he’d come in. Stiles approached him carefully, giving Boyd a wide berth. “What happened to Erica?”

“She got shot while we were on our way back.” Derek explained, grabbing a towel from the kitchen and tossing it to Boyd, “Press that on her wound. Scott’s calling Allison to get some wolfsbane and bring it over. Isaac and Jackson are meeting them. Stiles call Deaton and tell him we’ve got a problem.” Stiles just stared at him for a few seconds, amazed at how in control he seemed. Derek made a face, “Stiles, go.”

Stiles called Deaton and left a message, returning to the living room. Boyd had laid Erica out on the sofa, and someone, Scott he presumed, had brought her clothes from the porch. Boyd had Erica half draped across his lap, stroking her face. She was groaning, her hand pressing with his on a blood soaked towel on her upper stomach, the fabric of her bra already stained red with her blood.

“God, this hurts.” She ground out, biting her bottom lip.

Derek nodded, pulling a hoodie on over his head, “I know. You’ll be fine, Erica. You’re lucky Boyd was close enough to realize you were hurt. Those men looked pretty intent on shooting you again.”

Erica shook her head, panting in pain, “Not...shooting me. Taking me somewhere.” She coughed, spitting up blood. Boyd pulled her closer to him, and wiped the blood off ehr skin. Erica took a deep breath, “Derek, they said they were collecting me.”

Boyd growled, and Derek cursed violently, stalking to Stiles’ side, “Go home, Stiles. Get Zoe and go home. Lock the doors, and don’t let anyone in. Go to school, but don’t linger anywhere for too long.”

“What’s going on?” Stiles asked, struggling futilely against Derek as the Alpha pushed him towards the door, tossing his back pack at him.

Derek cursed again, grabbing Stiles by the short hairs at the nape of his neck, “They are humans, but they aren’t like Hunters, they don’t want to kill us, they want to collect us. They’re sick. Laura and I ran into a few in New York. There’s a whole underground market. Female werewolves are particularly valuable. Children even more so.” He pressed his forehead to Stiles’, shaking slightly, “Stiles, they cannot know Zoe is a werewolf. Do you understand. Radio silence until this is taken care of. Keep her safe, Stiles, and just in case anyone asks about her that you don’t know, she’s your sister. Don’t mention Laura anymore. If they were friends with the group we took out back then, they’ll know her name.” Derek jerked Stiles to his chest, “Be careful, Stiles.”

Stiles stared dazedly at him, “I think that’s the most I’ve ever heard you say at one time.”

Derek scowled, but caught him in a searing kiss, “Go, you fool, before I rip your throat out with my teeth.”

Stiles scurried out, and nervously had the Jeep idling when Allison pulled her car up. Lydia was in the back seat with Zoe, and as soon as the car came to a complete stop, the redhead was out of the car with Zoe in her arms. “Someone shot Erica?” She whispered, but Zoe could hear anyway.

Stiles nodded, keeping himself from panicking too badly in front of the kid, “Looks like it.” Allison ran into the house, a blur of black hair. Stiles took a few deep breaths, “She’ll be fine. Lydia, why don’t you come to my house with us? We can have breakfast before we all go to school.”

“Okay.” Lydia said tightly, boosting Zoe into the Jeep ahead of her, sliding the passenger seat back and murmuring for Zoe to buckle herself into her car seat.

“No.”

Stiles’ head whipped around, “What did you just say?”

Zoe set her jaw just like she’d seen Derek do countless times and repeated herself, “No.”

Lydia laughed, looking all too pleased with herself. Stiles squinted his eyes at the redhead, “What did you girls do last night?”

She shrugged, “Allison and I might have convinced her that telling us no about clothes was okay.” Lydia looked back at Zoe, “Zo, buckle up.”

“No.” The little girl responded, crossing her arms.

Stiles turned around in his seat, “Zoelyn Hale, put that seat belt on right now.” She seemed startled by his tone and pulled the belts together, snapping them together not taking her eyes off Stiles. He sighed, feeling bad, but shooting a glare at Lydia, “You guys just had to teach her to say no at the absolute worst time?”

Lydia rolled her eyes, “Stiles, she has to learn to form her own opinion about clothes.”

Stiles smiled, heading back to his house. His dad was getting ready to leave for his shift so he paused outside, filling his dad in on what was going on. John nodded, “I’ll keep an eye out for visitors.” He waved at Lydia and Zoe, who Stiles had sent inside, “You be careful at school today, and I want you right back here after. Just in case, you know where I keep my guns.”

“Got it, Dad.” Stiles said, heading into the house. While Lydia was trying to engage a subdued Zoe, he went into his dad’s bedroom. Lydia gave him a nasty look when he went into the kitchen and put one of his dad’s rifles in the cabinet with the plates. “It’s loaded, Lydia, just so you know.”

Lydia shifted on the sofa, putting Zoe’s coloring book in her back pack, “I don’t like it, but thanks.”

Stiles popped some waffles in the toaster and nervously looked out the window until the timer dinged. “Come and get it!”

Lydia ate her waffle glaring at Stiles in disgust like he’d given her a shoe to eat. Her mood improved slightly when Stiles asked her to take Zoe upstairs to pick out waterproof shoes.

Kára was outside the preschool when they arrived, “Hey, Stiles! Hey, Zoe!”

Stiles waved, suddenly realizing that he knew nothing about the blonde, “Hey, Kára.”

Lydia tipped her chin up haughtily, “I’m Lydia, Stiles’ friend.”

Kára gave her a forced smile, “Pleasure.” She waved at Stiles as she walked away, “See you later!”

Zoe hugged Stiles’ waist, “Papa Stiles, I don’t wanna go.”

That was a first. “Zoe, Blue Eyes, can you do this for me?” Stiles asked, pulling her up onto his hip and kissing the tip of her nose, “You can have some ice cream when we get home tonight.”

She considered his offer, “Cake too?”

Stiles laughed, “Don’t press your luck, Blue Eyes. Ice cream. Maybe cake if Uncle Derek says okay and Ms. Henderson says you were good today.”

Zoe planted a wet kiss on his cheek, “Okay, love you Papa Stiles.”

Stiles squeezed her tightly, planting a kiss in her dark curls, “Love you too, Blue Eyes.”

Lydia cooed over their display, chattering on when she took Scott’s usual seat. None of the wolves were in classes, but Stiles spotted a weary looking Allison in the halls a few times.

Stiles felt odd when he went to pick Zoe up, Lydia attached to his side, rambling about how being under house arrest was going to interfere with her planned party hopping. “Lydia, call Derek.” Stiles hissed at her when he opened the door to the preschool and none of the kids were waiting at the door with their teacher.

She backed out slowly, her fingers flying across the screen of her phone, and Stiles took his eyes off of her, surveying the area in front of him. He wished he’d brought one of his dad’s handguns to school, but the thought of having Zoe near a gun made him ill.

He almost screamed when Kára poked her head out of the playroom, her blonde hair loose around her shoulder for the first time since Stiles had known her. “Oh, good, you’re here!” she said with a smiled.

“Kára, where’s everyone else?” Stiles asked.

Kára came fully out of the room, “There was a small accident. I called all the kids’ parents and they came to pick them up. Trevor and I have been keeping Zoe company.”

“What happened?” Stiles asked, seconds before his eyes found the gun in Kára’s left hand.

A slow smile spread onto Kára’s face, more malicious than even one’s he’d seen on Peter Hale’s face, “There was a little accident with some scissors...” She trailed off, looking to her left at the teacher’s desk. Stiles could see one of Ms. Henderson’s trademark black patent shoes, accompanied by at least six drops of blood. Kára shrugged, “I’m sure she’ll be fine.”

“What do you want?” Stiles asked, trying to figure out a way to get past the crazy looking girl and into the room where Zoe was.

Kára shrugged, “Your friend Lydia is already getting me what I want. I like you, Stiles, I really do. That’s why I’m going to let you live. Sit in the time out chair while I complete my business, Stiles, and you can live. It’s really very simple. I think even you can understand that.”

“And Zoe?” Stiles asked, ready to fight tooth and nail to get past her.

At least until Kára’s eyes went solid black, “I think you know the answer to that. She’s a very valuable little girl. You could have made a pretty penny on the black market had you tried to sell her instead of keeping her, but you just had to keep her. The rest of her pack is going to come for you all, and I’m going to kill them.”

“They’ll kill you before they’d let you hurt Zoe.” Stiles spat.

The door opened behind Kára, and a tall darkly colored man appeared, “And I won’t let them hurt Kára.”

The girl smiled, “Stiles, I’d like you to meet the real Trevor. He and I are nothing like the witches you’ve read about in books.”

The door opened behind Stiles, and he prayed it wasn’t Lydia. “Hello, Kára. It’s been a long time. You look well.”

“Like you care, old man!” Kára sneered at Deaton, who had put a hand on Stiles’ shoulder.

“Stiles, why don’t you go outside?” Deaton said evenly.

Kára’s eyes widened, “Really, Deaton? Him? He hasn’t got what it takes, and you know it. He’s too far involved.”

Deaton stepped to stand beside Stiles, “Kára, I think that maybe it’s a good thing to be involved. You were objective, and look what you’ve turned into. And to bring Trevor with you...”

Kára leveled the gun at him. Stiles felt an instant of complete serenity before he got the air knocked out of him. Scott had him on the ground before the bullet left the barrel, and Stiles saw Derek go for Kára’s throat. She screamed, obviously surprised by his appearance, but Trevor moved just as quickly as Derek. Light filled the air when, upon contact with Derek, Trevor’s skin turned silver, and Derek’s claws slid over his skin, leaving not a scratch behind.

Trevor grinned, the insanity seeming to jump to him from Kára. “Nice try, wolf. I’m even more durable than you are.”

Scott pulled Stiles to his feet, go get Zoe. Stiles ran for the classroom, and was tackled to the ground by Zoe when he swung the door open. “Papa!”

Stiles clung to her tiny body tighter than he’d ever thought possible, “I’ve got you, Zoe.”

“Let’s go!” Scott urged, looking out the door nervously. Stiles was standing when Scott suddenly slammed the door shut, “Holy shit! There’s some Kanima looking things out there!”

Stiles eyed the large plexiglass windows, “You feel like breaking some school property?”

Scott grinned, bringing out his claws, “When do I not?” Stiles watched the door nervously, flinching at the howls of pain from the other side.

At one particular howl, Zoe lurched in his arms, his death grip the only thing keeping her from getting to the door, “Uncle Dewek!” For an instant, Stiles almost let her go so he could run himself back towards the Alpha, but before he could make that likely terrible decision, the glass on the other side of the room finally gave under Scott’s claws.

“Let’s go, Stiles!” Scott yelled over the growing noises.

Stiles struggled against Zoe and his own mind, running out the window. Scott stayed with him as he ran through the parking lot, “You have to go back and help them!”

“I can’t!” Scott yelled back at him, “Derek ordered me to stay with you. He may not be my Alpha, but he’s right. Someone has to protect you two.”

Stiles screamed when Zoe dug her claws into his shoulder. “Zoe!” He yelled, instinctually releasing her.

Zoe landed on her feet, looking anxiously at Stiles, who was holding onto his bleeding shoulder. Before he could stop her, the four year old ran back towards the preschool, too fast even for Scott to grab the back of her red hood. By the time Stiles caught up to the two werewolves, Zoe was attempting to gnaw on Trevor’s right thigh while he fought Derek. It seemed to be helping. Apparently, Trevor’s skin thing only worked when he had a single opponent.

“Trevor!” Kára screamed, and from behind Scott, Stiles heard another gunshot. Trevor gasped, and he slumped against Derek, a bullet between his eyes.

Deaton was holding a gun, looking tortured. He grabbed Kára by the waist before she could rush towards her companion, the shadowy lizard creatures struggling with the rest of the pack fading back into the shadows. The werewolves stood up slowly, all tending to wounds, but none overwhelmingly bad off.

Kára screamed, “No, Kára. It’s over.” Deaton said softly, pinning her arms across her chest as she sobbed hysterically. Deaton looked to Derek, who was furiously wiping blood off a smug Zoe’s face. “Derek, I need your help.”

Kára looked up at Deaton, fear in her eyes, “Please, Deaton, don’t do this. Please, I’m sorry! They told me if I didn’t do what they said, they’d kill Trevor.” Her voice broke at his name and she stared at his corpse.

Deaton sighed, holding her wrists with one hand and turning her head to the side with the other, “Derek, take her memory from her. She’ll go mad otherwise, and she won’t be able to control herself. I’m too old to stop her.”

Derek passed Zoe to Stiles and approached Deaton, “How much?”

Deaton sighed, “All of it past her eighteenth birthday. I’ll take care of her, but she can’t remember anything of this life. I’m an old friend from college, where she got a degree in English. That’s all you need to give her, her brain will fill in the gaps.”

Derek raised an eyebrow, “I can’t give her memories of classic literature I don’t know.”

“I already know them.” Kára whispered, clinging to Deaton, but still staring at the corpse. “I won’t fight you, Deaton. I’m sorry.” Just like the shadow creatures had faded, Kára got older, her eyes and hair changing to dark chocolate brown.

“I’m sorry too, Kára.” Deaton told the woman, nodding at Derek.

Derek sank his claws into the back of Kára’s neck, and Stiles turned away, going back to his Jeep, trying to block out the sounds of pain from inside. Lydia was waiting at the Jeep. “Stiles, Zoe!” She hugged them both, “I’ve never been so scared in my life! Are you two okay?”

Stiles stared at the little girl in his arms, “I’m not sure.” He looked up at Lydia. “Can you drive us home?”

She looked shocked, “Uh...yeah, I can do that. In your Jeep?” Stiles didn’t answer, but climbed into the passenger side of the Jeep with Zoe in his lap.

He ignored Lydia and Zoe both when they got to the house, carrying Zoe up the stairs, “You’re taking a bath.” He told the child absently, pulling out new clothes for her to wear as the water warmed. When she got in, the water slowly turned pink from the blood that had splattered onto her skin.

Stiles didn’t realize he’d started crying until Derek wrapped his arms around him, “Hush, Stiles. Zoe’s okay, she’s not hurt.” Stiles blinked several times, trying to figure out what was going on. He had Zoe wrapped in a towel and clutched tightly to his chest. She was staring up at him, her blue eyes fearful, her dark hair plastered wetly to her face. Derek put his hands over Stiles’ and gently forced him to release his grip on her. “Zoe, go see Lydia.” Stiles gazed sightlessly at the yellowed tile wall. “Stiles, can you hear me?”

“Yeah.” Stiles said softly, trying to figure out what had happened.

Derek sighed in relief, “What happened to you?”

“I lost her.”

Derek furrowed his eyebrows together, “Stiles, Zoe is fine, really. She took a chunk out of that guy, not the other way around. None of the blood was hers.”

“I couldn’t stop her. She ran, and not even Scott could catch her. I wasn’t enough to stop her. Zoe could have died, Derek, and it would have been my fault. I shouldn’t have let her go, I should have held on.” Stiles rambled, shaking.

Derek grabbed the hem of Stiles’ shirt, allowing him to continue rambling. “We need to get Ms. McCall to look at your shoulder. Zoe did a number on it.”

“It doesn’t hurt.” Stiles mumbled, resting his forehead on the crook of Derek’s neck.

Derek wiped at his wound with a towel, “If you were a werewolf, that wouldn’t worry me.”

Stiles laughed softly, “Not happening, no matter how many times Peter asks. Where would you guys be without your crazy human pack-mom?”

Derek smiled slightly, “We’d be lost, Stiles, we really would.” He actually chuckled when Stiles winced after he poured peroxide on his shoulder, “You’d be a lot more Zoe-proof though.” All humor fled his face, “It’s my fault she came back, Stiles, not yours. I should’ve known that her instincts would have brought her back to fight with the Pack.”

Stiles caught a flash of blue in the corner of his eye and saw Zoe standing in the doorway, dressed in her favorite nightwear: a t-shirt from Stiles’ childhood with a wolf on the front and a pair of silvery blue pants Lydia had given her. Her eyes were wide, and the sight of her so distraught was enough to break his heart. “Papa!” She cried when he held a hand out to her.

Derek curbed her strength with a gentle hand, but she still knocked the air out of Stiles, “Oh, Blue Eyes, I’m so sorry I scared you.” He wheezed, holding her close with his uninjured arm.

“It’s okay.” Zoe muttered into Stiles’ chest.

Derek probed his wounds again, “Well, this doesn’t look too bad under the blood.” He ruffled Zoe’s hair, “You’ve got some sharp little claws, Zoe. Let’s try not to use them on your Papa again, okay?”

“Okay!” Zoe answered in her sweetest voice, kissing his cheek.

Stiles pushed her to her feet, “We need to have dinner.”

“I called for pizza.” Lydia said from the doorway, “On me, of course.” She held her hands out to Zoe, “Want to help me get things set up?”

Stiles wanted to protest that they couldn’t always have pizza, but he was pretty much just too tired to care. Seeing Zoe covered in blood had brought him back to a memory he’d tried so hard to forget.

He’d been eight years old when his mother died. She’d been fighting cancer since his fifth birthday, and was determined to have a mother-son day for his birthday, even if it was a week late. It had been the perfect day, his dad had kept his distance, monitoring his mother for any sign of fatigue, and they’d walked through the Beacon Hills Community Garden like they’d always done before, ate lunch at the odd little French bistro by the station. Stiles had been watching butterflies when he’d realized that his mother wasn’t next to him. He looked back and didn’t see either of them.

He wandered back the way he’d come and found his father, “Genim, where’s your momma?” Stiles had shrugged, and an instant later, they’d heard a crunch of metal and a sharp scream. His dad ran ahead, and when Stiles had caught up, his mother had been laying in his father’s arms, in the middle of the street, covered in blood.

He would find out later, when he was older, that his mother had lost sight of him, and, while she was distracted, a speeding car plowed into her. He’d been promised that she hadn’t suffered, but he knew she had. For two years, she’d been too sick to so much as go on a walk down the hall with him, and the one day she felt strong enough to do more than that, all her struggling had been deemed moot by one careless driver.

Stiles looked up at Derek, who was still holding him, “I need to ask you something.”

“What?” Derek asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

“If I ever get sick, I need you to do something for me.” He took a deep breath, rephrasing his request, “If I get cancer or something else, I want you to turn me.”

Derek’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, “Really? You’ve never wanted the bite before. You didn’t want it five minutes ago.”

“I changed my mind. I don’t want Zoe to ever see me suffer. And I never want to see her covered in blood again.” Stiles said sternly.

Derek laughed, brushing a soft kiss to his temple, “You’ve got it.” A grin spread over his face, and he chuckled darkly, “You’ve pretty much got anything you want right now.”

Stiles stared at Derek, “Anything?”

Derek rolled his eyes, “Not ‘anything’, Stiles. Your shoulder is shredded right now, and I’m already terrified I’ll hurt you.”

“So when my shoulder heals?” Stiles asked, grinning coyly at him.

Derek tipped Stiles’ chin up, and let his lips hover over Stiles lips, “You are so mine.”

Stiles laughed, “I’m oddly okay with that.”

“Good.” Derek growled before pressing his lips to Stiles’.

Stiles was laughing when Derek pulled back to let him breath, “Just don’t rip my throat out with your teeth, alright?”

Derek bit at Stiles’ neck playfully before hauling the human to his feet, “We’ll see. For now, let’s go eat.”

“Sausage?”

“Not in front of Zoe, Stiles, please. That’s weird, even by wolf standards.”

“No, seriously, is there sausage pizza? Or curly fries? Because I need some serious food therapy for my shoulder, and lots of wolf snuggles.”

“You’re going to be terrible, aren’t you?”

“Mmmm, probably!”

“Wonderful.”

“Oh, come on, Sourwolf, you like me anyway.”

“Something like that.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’ll figure it out.” Derek laughed shortly again, “You always do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What'd you think of this part? Let me know in a comment!
> 
> Also, anyone else feeling the need for some more Sterek alone time? There will be a time skip between this chapter and the next, I haven't decided how long yet, but it will probably be more than a year. Five/six year old Zoe and established Sterek anyone? Got to admit, the time skip may be up to five years...regardless, Rebecca returns and so does someone else!
> 
> Any guesses?
> 
> Thanks so much for your continued support!  
> -Jenn


	3. Not really a chapter....

Okay, first off, I am sooo sorry it's been so long. Secondly, the reason why is I just couldn't put everything I wanted into just one more chapter, so there's going to be at least two more. The third chapter will deal with the whole Nemeton/Darach stuff, and the fourth will deal with the Alpha pack again. I'd originally planned to try to have the two story lines running at the same time, but it wasn't working out so I decided to split them. It helped a lot, but I've been having some major writer's block with this story. The next chapter is about halfway done. I feel terribly about leaving this fic out there for so long without adding to it, and just wanted everyone to know that I'm still working on it as much as I can. Between writer's block and college, I've had a major drawback on the amount of writing that gets done on this story. I won't abandon this story though, I still love Derek and Stiles with little Zoe too much to stop writing it, and I have got to write that Erica and Boyd don't die tragically because that just about killed me. I actually think their deaths are what put me off writing this story, I was just so upset by it. That being said, spoiler, I won't kill either one of them off unless I feel like it will really mean something, and so far, that's not in my outline cards.

Enough of my rambling, here's a snippet from Chapter Three: The Darach~  
Note: Zoe is seven in chapter 3! Also, Stiles is looking to go away for college...

* * *

_Stiles shrugged off the weirdness quickly and went in search of his wayward little girl. She was standing on the third branch in one of the trees, looking down at him with a pout on her face, “Who was that?”_

_“A friend of Dr. Deaton’s.” Stiles responded, settling against the base of the tree._

_Zoe dropped down next to him, landing on her feet cleanly where human kids would have injured themselves without fail. That was Zoe though, highly athletic with a preference for raw meat. Stiles didn’t look at her as she settled against the tree, mimicking his posture but on the opposite side of the trunk. “She was pretty.”_

_“Yeah, she was.” Stiles replied non-committally._

_“What’s a Darach?” Zoe asked him._

_Stiles shrugged, “I’m not really sure, Blue Eyes.”_

_They stayed in silence for several minutes before Zoe was suddenly right in his face. “Why do you want to leave?” Zoe took a breath, “Why do you want to leave me?”_

_The look on her face, so serious and brooding, made Stiles’ heart ache, and he pulled her to his chest, “Oh, Blue Eyes, I don’t want to leave you!” He squeezed her for all he was worth and pressed his lips to her forehead, “I don’t want to leave at all! But I’ll have to, for school.”_

_“Why can’t you stay?” Zoe said, her voice thin._

_Stiles fumbled for words to make her understand, and settled for blaming his dad, “Well, Blue Eyes, your grandpa wants what’s best for me. He knows how happy I am here with you and Derek, but he wants me to continue my education because he thinks that will make me even happier.”_

_“Will it?” She asked._

_Stiles shrugged, “I don’t know, Zoe. I think it might, but it won’t be easy.”_

_Zoe sighed, “I want you to be happy. But aren’t you happy enough with me and Uncle Derek? If you go, we won’t be happy. None of us will. Grandpa included.”_

_Stiles stared at her, astounded by how assured she was. He’d known it, but somehow, hearing the truth from Zoe made it sound so much harsher. “I’m being incredibly selfish, aren’t I?” Stiles said in realization, feeling like Scott had punched him in the gut too strongly. Zoe looked back at him, her eyes wide and steady, and he felt tears fill his own. He stood and started running._

* * *

Hopefully that will tide you over, and hopefully season 3B will bring my muse fully back to Teen Wolf! As always, your comments and kudos are greatly appreciated and go so far to help me churn out the rest of this story.

Thanks for reading!

-Jenn

1/8/14

**Author's Note:**

> Leave some love!  
> -Jenn


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